Travel Health Service Year 2023

Current Travel Health News

Take precautions against dengue fever when travelling abroad

Dengue fever is now endemic in more than 100 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. This includes various popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong people including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Detailed information on the latest Dengue fever situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, can be found at the Centre for Health Protection’s website: https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf

Travellers planning to travel in these areas should take precautions against the disease. Travellers returning from areas where dengue fever is prevalent should seek medical advice as soon as possible if they feel unwell and provide travel details to their doctors.

For more information on dengue fever, including the latest situation in neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage at https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38847.html

Take precautions against Mpox (also known as monkeypox) when travelling abroad

Mpox (also known as monkeypox) is a zoonotic disease caused by Mpox virus. Often found in tropical forest regions of Central and West Africa. It is mainly transmitted by contact with infected animals, human-to-human transmission is limited. Incubation period is mainly from 6 to 13 days, symptoms are similar with Smallpox infection, but less severe.

Since 6 May 2022, multiple outbreaks were reported in Europe and North America countries, and many patient are self-identified as bisexual or men who have sex with men. Travellers planning to travel in these areas should avoid contact with infected person. Travellers returning from these areas shall notify the doctor to seek medical treatment and inform the travel situation if feeling unwell.

For more information on Mpox, including the latest situation in overseas countries or places, please visit the World Health Organization and Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpages at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/monkeypox#tab=tab_1
https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/105683.html

Argentina: Equine Encephalitis

22 December 2023

The Ministry of Health of Argentina reports that positive results for Western Equine Encephalitis were obtained in samples from a patient residing in the department of General Obligado, province of Santa Fe, where the National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) previously registered cases of the disease in horses. This is the first case in humans after more than two decades without records, since the last detections were in 1983 and 1996. Argentina declares state of emergency due to Equine Encephalitis.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 December 2023)

Solomon Islands: Mumps

22 December 2023

Officials with the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ report an increase in detection of Mumps cases in the Honiara area over the past few weeks.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 December 2023)

Philippines: Pertussis [Update]

22 December 2023

Philippines health officials are reporting a significant increase in Pertussis, or whooping cough cases in 2023 to date. From the beginning of the year through November 11, 2023, authorities reported 622 cases. This is a 1,495 percent increase compared to the 39 cases reported during the same period in 2022.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 December 2023)

Nigeria: Dengue Fever

21 December 2023

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced this weekend an outbreak of Dengue Fever in Sokoto State in the extreme northwest of the country in November.

According to the health agency, 71 suspected cases, 13 confirmed cases and zero deaths have been reported in the state.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 19 December 2023)

Philippines: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

21 December 2023

From January1 through November 4, Philippines officials reported 2,781 total Chikungunya cases, a 396 percent increase compared to the 561 cases reported during the same period in 2022. No death were reported to date.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 19 December 2023)

Madagascar: Plague

21 December 2023

During the past week or so, three deaths due to Plague have been reported in the central Madagascar city of Ambositra, in the Amoron’i Mania region according to local media.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 17 December 2023)

Mali: Dengue Fever and Zika Virus

21 December 2023

The Mali Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 377 additional Dengue Fever cases (63 confirmed, 314 suspected), including 15 deaths since December 1. Cumulatively, since the beginning of the year, the MOH has reported 4,781 cases (600 confirmed and 4,181 suspected) and 21 deaths were reported from six of the eight regions and the capital district of Barnako.

In addition, the MOH reported 12 confirmed Zika cases this month from the Barnako region.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 December 2023)

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

21 December 2023

Health officials in Malaysia’s largest state of Sarawak report an additional human case and fatality due to Rabies this month. The latest case is a 44-year-old who presented with symptoms of rabies in late November. While she denied having any animal bites, it is reported she had a half-dozen unvaccinated cats that roamed free. One of her cats died recently.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 December 2023)

Vietnam: Dengue Fever [Update]

21 December 2023

Vietnam health authorities reported 1,715 new Dengue Fever cases, with 33 new outbreaks in 13 districts and towns and 88 active outbreaks in 19 districts and towns in Hanoi the last week in November 2023, still a very high level.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 December 2023)

Japan: Mpox (monkeypox) [Update]

21 December 2023

Health officials in Saitama Prefecture, Japan report the first Mpox death in the country. The patient is a man in his 30s, who was immunocompromised due to human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV infection. He had no recent travel history outside the Japan. He was diagnosed in September and died two months later.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 December 2023)

Bangladesh: Nipah Virus [Update]

21 December 2023

Bangladesh has reported 14 Nipah Virus cases this year, 10 of them fatal. Deaths from the disease are at the highest level in 7 years.

(Source: CIDRAP 15 December 2023)